Registering clock driver controlled decision feedback equalizer training process

Abstract

A method is described. The method includes receiving from a memory controller configuration information for a testing sequence and storing the configuration information in configuration register space of the driver circuit. The method also includes controlling the next testing sequence. The testing sequence includes sweeping values of a tap coefficient of a DFE circuit of the driver circuit and sweeping a voltage of a slicer of the driver circuit. The method includes sending results of the testing sequence to the memory controller. The results are to determine a value for the DFE tap coefficient.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a registering clock driver (RCD) circuit comprising a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) circuit, the DFE circuit comprising programmable DFE feedback tap coefficients, the DFE circuit comprising a programmable reference voltage, the DFE circuit comprising a decision circuit that determines a logical value of a signal based on the programmable reference voltage, the RCD circuit further comprising DFE training circuitry to support a training sequence that determines appropriate values for the feedback tap coefficients, the DFE training circuitry comprising: 
 a) test controller circuitry to conduct inner test loops that sweep the reference voltage and outer test loops that sweep a particular one of the DFE feedback coefficient values, wherein, a next outer test loop is executed after all of the inner test loops have been executed, wherein the RCD circuit is to receive a test pattern from a host in between inner test loop iterations, the DFE training circuitry to cause the RCD to send test results to the host so that the host is able to determine an acceptable value for the particular one of the DFE feedback coefficient values; 
 b) register space to store an inner test loop reference voltage increment received from the host and an outer test loop DFE feedback coefficient value increment received from the host, the test controller circuitry to increment the reference voltage by the inner test loop reference voltage with each next inner test loop iteration, the test controller circuitry to increment the particular one of the DFE feedback coefficient values by the outer test loop DFE feedback coefficient value increment with each next outer test loop iteration. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the DFE training circuitry comprises an exclusive OR (XOR) circuit to compare a test pattern against DFE decisions made against the test pattern. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the test results are generated by the XOR circuit. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the RCD circuit is disposed on a memory module. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the memory module is plugged into a computer system. 
     
     
       6. A memory controller, comprising:
 a dual data rate (DDR) memory interface to interface with a registering clock driver (RCD) circuit, the RCD circuit comprising a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) circuit, the DFE circuit comprising programmable DFE feedback tap coefficients, the DFE circuit comprising a programmable reference voltage, the DFE circuit comprising a decision circuit that determines a logical value of a signal based on the programmable reference voltage, the RCD circuit further comprising DFE training circuitry to support a training sequence that determines appropriate values for the feedback tap coefficients, the memory controller comprising: 
 circuitry to establish inner test loops performed by the RCD circuit that sweep the reference voltage and outer test loops performed by the RCD circuit that sweep a particular one of the DFE feedback coefficient values, wherein, a next outer test loop is executed after all of the inner test loops have been executed, the memory controller to receive test results from the RCD circuit and determine an acceptable value for the particular one of the DFE feedback coefficient values therefrom, the circuitry to determine an inner test loop reference voltage increment and an outer test loop DFE feedback coefficient value increment and to cause the inner test loop reference voltage increment and the outer test loop DFE feedback coefficient value increment to the RCD circuit for implementation by the RCD circuit; 
 test pattern determination circuitry, the memory controller to send a test pattern determined by the test pattern determination circuitry to the RCD circuit in between inner test loop iterations. 
 
     
     
       7. The memory controller of  claim 6  wherein the memory controller is within a computing system.